1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a male/female engaging device with tape for use in clothes including foundation garments such as brassieres and body suit, inner wear, outer wear such as sports wear, and overall such as baby wear and infant wear.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional male/female engaging device employing male/female hooking tape for use in clothes including foundation garments, inner wear, outer wear, and overall for baby wear and infant wear has been disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 62-79416. According to a male-female engaging tape in this publication, as shown in FIG. 20, a core thread 5xe2x80x2 is exposed along a side edge 4xe2x80x2 of each of a pair of cloth tapes 3xe2x80x2 which are folded back along a longitudinal direction thereof, and a female engaging device 1xe2x80x2 molded of synthetic resin having an engaging hole 34xe2x80x2 provided in a front half portion, and an attaching portion 8xe2x80x2 provided in a rear half portion for nipping the tape 3xe2x80x2 is mounted on a side edge of a tape 3xe2x80x2 at a predetermined interval. A male engaging device 2xe2x80x2 is molded integrally of synthetic resin, containing an hooking portion which is hooked on the engaging hole in the aforementioned front half portion, and an attaching portion 8xe2x80x2 provided on a rear half portion for nipping the tape 3xe2x80x2 is mounted on the side edge of the other tape at a predetermined interval.
Further, an engaging/disengaging device with tape has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2525301. According to this publication, as shown in FIG. 21, a male engaging/disengaging device 102 containing a neck portion 135 protruded sideways and an expanded head 124 perpendicular to this neck portion 135 is molded integrally of synthetic resin on a side edge of one of a pair of tapes 103, while a female engaging/disengaging device 101 containing an engagement groove which the neck portion 135 engages is molded integrally of synthetic resin, such that the engagement portions of the male and female engaging/disengaging devices and the attaching portions 108 thereof to the tape 103 are formed at the same height.
When in the male/female hooking tape shown in FIG. 20, the female hooking device and male hooking device are hooked on each other to join both tapes, since engagement points of the female engaging device and male engaging device is far from the side edge of the tape, there is generated a large gap between the side edges of the both tapes. Thus, when the male/female hooking tape is used, it does not have a good appearance and not fashionable. Further, because the female hooking device is a simple through hole and the male hooking device is a simple structure of a hook, there is a problem that the engagement between the both engaging devices is not stable when they are engaged.
Further, in the engaging/disengaging device with tape shown in FIG. 21, when the male engaging device is hooked on the female engaging device so as to join both tapes, because the engagement point between the male engaging device and female engaging device is far from the side edges of the tapes, there is generated a large through hole between the side edges of the tape. Consequently, when the engaging/disengaging device with tape is used, it does not have a good appearance and not fashionable. Further, if a twisting is generated between the male engaging/disengaging device and female engaging/disengaging device in an engagement state, the engagement may be released easily.
The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a male/female engaging device with tape comprising a male engaging device having a hooking mechanism and a female engaging device having an engaging mechanism, both being attached to side edges of right and left tapes, a gap between the right and left tapes is formed to be as small as possible when they engage each other, providing male/female engaging device with tape with a fashionably beautiful appearance. Further, an object is to provide a male/female engaging device with tape in which engagement between the male engaging device and female engaging device can be achieved firmly and a strong holding force against a twisting action can be maintained.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a male/female engaging device with tape in which an engaging operation for combining the female engaging device having the engaging mechanism with the male engaging device having the hooking mechanism can be carried out very easily and the appearances of the female and male engaging devices are beautiful and excellent in terms of design.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a male/female engaging device with tape in which the female engaging device having the engaging mechanism and the male engaging device having the hooking mechanism are formed in a rigid configuration and an engaging operation for combining the female engaging device with the male engaging device is achieved easily.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a male/female engaging device with tape in which an engaging operation for combining the female engaging device having an engaging mechanism with the male engaging device having hooking mechanism can be carried out relatively easily and especially a disengaging operation for releasing the engagement between the combined female engaging device and male engaging device can be achieved very easily.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a male/female engaging device with tape, wherein female engaging devices 1 having an engaging mechanism are attached to one of the side edges 4 opposing each other of a pair of tapes 3 while male engaging devices 2 having a hooking mechanism are attached to the other side edge 4, such that engagement or disengagement between the female engaging device 1 and male engaging device 2 is carried out in a position inside of the tape 3 with respect to one of the side edges 4 of the tape 3 on which the female engaging device 1 or male engaging device 2 is attached.
Preferably, there is provided a male/female engaging device with tape, wherein the male engaging device 2 having the hooking mechanism covers the side edge 4 of the tape 3 and contains a hooking portion 7 having guide faces 13 at an outer side thereof and a frame portion 9 which is formed in a U shape positioned inward from both ends of the hooking portion 7 and attached to the tape 3 such that the tape 3 is sandwiched thereby. The female engaging device 1 having the engaging mechanism includes a base portion 8 on the side edge 4 for covering the side edge 4 of the tape 3 and a vertical pair of engaging pieces 15 for engaging the hooking portion 7 of the male engaging device 2, provided on a front face of the base portion 8 so as to protrude.
Still preferably, there is provided a male/female engaging device with tape, wherein the male engaging device 2 having the hooking mechanism covers the side edge 4 of the tape 3 and has on the side edge 4 a hooking portion 7 having guide faces 13 at an outer side thereof, a frame portion 9 which is formed in a U shape positioned inward of the tape 3 from both ends of the hooking portion 7 and sandwiched to the tape 3 thereby to be fixed. A plurality of accommodating portions 12 are provided in the hooking portion 7 such that some partition walls 17 are provided between the hooking portion 7 so as to be connected to the frame portion 9. The female engaging device 1 having the engaging mechanism includes a base portion 8 for covering the side edge 4 of the tape 3, and plural vertical pairs of engaging pieces 15 which correspond to the accommodating portion 12 of hooking portion 7 engaging the hooking portions 7 of the male engaging device 2 provided on a front face of the base portion 8 so as to protrude.
Further preferably, there is provided a male/female engaging device with tape, wherein the female engaging device 1 having the engaging mechanism includes on the side edge 4 a base portion 8 so as to cover the side edge 4 of the tape 3, and an engaging hole 20 provided on a front face of the base portion 8 such that a male piece 23 of the male engaging device 2 is capable of passing through and the male engaging device 2 having the hooking mechanism includes on side edge 4 a base portion 8 so as to cover the side edge 4 of the tape 3 and the male piece 23 having an expanded head portion 24 at a front end thereof and protruded forward from the front face of the base portion 8.
It is preferable that there is provided a male/female engaging device with tape, wherein the female engaging device 1 having the engaging mechanism includes on the side edge 4 a base portion 8 so as to cover the side edge 4 of the tape 3, and hook shaped engaging protrusions 28 provided on both sides such that the male piece 23 of the male engaging device 2 is capable of being inserted in between the engaging protrusion 28 so that they are directed inward, the engaging protrusions 28 being provided on a top face or a bottom face of the base portion 8, for example top face, to face each other, and the male engaging device 2 having the hooking mechanism includes on the side edge 4 a base portion 8 so as to cover the side edge 4 of the tape 3 and the male piece 23 having an expanded head portion 25 with its end expanded and protruded forward from the front face of the base portion 8.
It is still preferable that there is provided a male/female engaging device with tape, wherein the male engaging device 2 having the hooking mechanism includes on the side edge 4 a base portion 8 so as to cover the side edge 4 of the tape 3, and engaging protrusions 29 having an engaging head portion 30 at a tip thereof, the engaging protrusion 29 being provided on a top face or a bottom face of the base portion 8, for example a top face, and the female engaging device 1 having the engaging mechanism includes on the side edge 4 a base portion 8 so as to cover the side edge 4 of the tape 3 and a female piece 33 having an engaging hole 34 in which the engaging protrusion 29 is to be inserted at a front end portion and provided so as to protrude forward from a front face of the base portion 8.
Finally, there is provided a male/female engaging device with tape, wherein the male engaging device 2 having the hooking mechanism includes on the side edge 4 a base portion 8 so as to cover the side edge 4 of the tape 3, and engaging protrusions 29 having an engaging head portion 35 at a tip thereof, the engaging protrusion 29 being provided on a top face or a bottom face of the base portion 8, for example top face, and the female engaging device 1 having the engaging mechanism including on the side edge 4 a base portion 8 so as to cover the side edge 4 of the tape 3. A female piece 33 is protruded forward from front surface of the base portion 8, having a guide groove 37 for guiding the engaging protrusion 29 from a front end to the inner side, an engaging hole 38 containing engaging portions 39 capable of engaging the engaging protrusion 29 at a deepest portion of the guide groove 37, such that both the base portions 8 are capable of making contact with each other when the female engaging device 1 engages the male engaging device 2.